Brush retainer



Nov. 18, 1941. c, J E L BRUSH RETAINER Fild Dec.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Cars 1f (Lrfie// Attorney Nov. 18, 1941. c. J. CORNELL BRUSH RETAINER Filed Dec. 28, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Zar/es adivre/l/ A iiomey Patented Nov. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRUSH RETAINER Charles J. Cornell, Carbondale, Pa.

Application December 28, 1940, Serial No. 372,148

1 Claim.

This invention relates to brush retainers, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which is especially adapted for accommodatin a paint brush after use for retaining the bristles thereof in their original shape, so that during the time the brush is awaiting use or cleaning the bristles will be kept in proper order and prevented from becoming bowed or otherwise out of shape by the brush resting thereon, the construction of the device being such that it will accommodate brushes of difierent sizes and will permit a, free and complete circulation of a brush preservative fluid in contact with the bristles to prevent hardening of paint and other substances on the bristles.

With these and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an edge elevation illustrating a brush retainer constructed in accordance with my invention and showing diagrammatically a brush associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a side elevation illustrating the retainer.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the retainer,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating the blanks from which a section of the retainer is made.

It is a well known fact that after a paint brush has been used and left to stand for a period of time the bristles are spread or bowed out of shape due to the weight of the brush thereon regardless of whether or not the brush is arranged in a preservative fluid. To prevent this occurring to a brush during its idleness it is proposed to so house the bristles and a portion of the brush head that the bristles will be free of all weight and retained in their original shape. Further, it is proposed that the present invention be so constructed that brushes of different sizes can be readily accommodated therein and retained in their original shape. Also to provide a device which is extremely easy and simple to apply and remove from a brush and will permit a free and complete circulation of the preservative liquid in contact with the bristles to prevent the paint and other substances from hardening thereon.

The present invention consists primarily in a sectional casing 5 wherein each section constitutes a side wall 6 provided with perforations I therein and end walls 8. The side walls 6 at one end are cutaway to form extensions 9 which may be rolled on themselves to form hinge barrels. The end walls 8 taper from one end toward the opposite end and are arranged at right angles to the side walls 6. The sections of the casing when brought in opposite relation to each other have the hinge barrels arranged in alignment to receive a hinge pin Ill, the ends of which are headed, as shown at I I, to prevent the accidental displacement of the hinge pin. The sections of the casing thus connected are free to hinge toward and from each other with the end walls of one section sliding over the end walls of the other section and due to the taper of the end walls the side walls will diverge from each other when the casing is completely closed taking on the general shape of the bristles of a paint brush so that when. the latter is arranged within the casing the bristles will be held straight and prevented from bulging or flaring under the weight of the brush.

To adjustably secure the sections of the casing against opening and with proper pressure upon the bristles of brushes of different sizes an elongated loop type fastener I2 is provided and is split, as shown at l3. One of the end walls of the casing has struck therefrom a strap M through which the elongated fastener extends for hingedly mounting said fastener on the casing. The fastener I2 primarily consists of parallel members IS, a connecting member 16 which extends through the strap I4 and inwardly directed free ends I1. The side members 15 of the fastencr may be flexed permitting the inwardly directed ends I! to be separated or moved apart so that they may be moved over the side walls of the casing with frictional contact therewith and toward the hinge of the casing. The fastener may be completely swung to one side of the casing so that it can be completely opened to permit a brush to be readily positioned therein. With the ends ll of the fastener spread apart said fastener is swung upwardly away from the hinged end with wiping contact with the side walls forcing the side walls in the direction of each other and against the bristles with suflicient pressure to sustain the bristles in their original shape. Brushes of small sizes will permit the fastener to assume the position as shown in Figure 4 with the free ends overlying one end of the casing. However, when larger brushes are accommodated within the retainer or casing the ends I! of the fastener will be in engagement with the side walls and as before stated as the ends I! move toward the hinge the greater the side walls may be spaced apart to accommodate thicker brushes. With the retainer or casing applied to the brush it may then be placed in a. receptacle containing a preservative liquid which may enter the casing and contact the bristles and keep them in a soft pliable condition and to allow any surplus paint to drain out of the easing from the bristles.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

In a brush retainer, a substantially wedge 2,2cs,1 is

shaped casing including companion sections and each section consisting of a perforated side wall and tapered end walls and a rolled Portion to form a hinged barrel, a hinge pin extending through the barrels of the sections whereby said sections may be swung toward and from each other, one of said side walls having a portion struck therefrom to provide a loop type strap, and an elongated split fastener including a connecting portion journaled in said strap and parallel flexible side members connected to each other by said connecting portion and movable over the side walls and off of said side walls and having inwardly directed ends to wipe against the side walls during the movement of the members over said side walls to force the latter tightly against a brush arranged therebetween.

CHARLES J. CORNELL. 

